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When I first stumbled across Neon Fir, it felt like discovering a glitch in the pop matrix. They're not just another band trying to fit in — they're actively bending and stretching the genre’s boundaries.
Born out of college jam sessions in Tallinn and shaped by jazz education and a hunger for experimentation, Neon Fir is a five-member Estonian collective that doesn’t believe in doing things by the book. Instead, they chase pure curiosity — and their sound shows it.
Rewriting Pop with Precision and Play
Neon Fir calls their music “progressive pop,” a label that’s both fitting and inadequate at the same time. Their sound is layered with poly-rhythms, jazz harmonies, and unexpected textures. From Eeva’s emotive vocals that often channel raw personal experiences, to Miina’s attention to infectious hooks and subtle rhythmic tricks, the band builds each track like a sonic sculpture. Whether it’s danceable or dark, catchy or complex, their music always lands with a certain intentionality.
They don’t shy away from intensity either. “I feel like a lot of my anger issues have been resolved through our songs,” Eeva confesses. That emotional authenticity bleeds into their recordings and especially their live shows, which the band describes as a release, a recharge, and a truth check all at once.
Influences from All Over and Nowhere in Particular
Ask Neon Fir who inspires them and you’ll get a rabbit hole of names — Kate Bush, Sinead O’Connor, FKA Twigs, Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote, Frank Ocean — but the thread that connects them isn’t genre, it’s individuality. Each member is drawn to artists who build their own sonic worlds unapologetically. Their musical roots stretch from classic jazz drummers to Estonia’s alt scene, with artists like Vesi Päästab and Karl Petti being crucial touchpoints.
Their sound is a map of those influences, yet it never sounds derivative. It’s not about imitation — it’s about synthesis.
From Studio Experiments to Stage Alchemy
Neon Fir’s creative process is a hybrid of structure and spontaneity. A song might start with sheet music or a rough beat, but it often transforms during studio sessions, where ideas are explored freely before being figured out for the stage. Their visual direction follows the same logic — bright, bold, and driven by collaboration with local artists. Eeva often sets the theme for live shows, curating everything from wardrobe to on-stage energy, letting each member interpret the vibe in their own way.
They recently had a breakthrough moment when their song “Sun” was featured on a shoegaze YouTube channel curated by David Dean Burkhart — a surreal experience for a band that used to watch those videos as fans.
A DIY Spirit and Eyes on the Horizon
From pressing their debut vinyl without a budget to playing last-minute sets at Tallinn Music Week, Neon Fir is clearly guided more by drive than by hype. Their sound engineers and mixers have helped define their sonic identity, but the band remains fully in control. They’re open to big-name collaborations — Eeva drops names like Mike Dean and Rick Rubin — but they’re just as happy staying independent for now.
Their message to other artists? “Just do your own thing.” It’s simple advice, but for Neon Fir, it’s a way of life.
Conclusion
Neon Fir is proof that pop music doesn’t have to follow a formula to resonate. With roots in jazz, an obsession with detail, and a refusal to compromise on creativity, this Estonian collective is carving out a lane all their own. Keep an eye out — they’re not just redefining pop, they’re rebuilding it from the ground up.
